I'll Take You to Budokan!
by Chihiro Tenzou
Summary: The Light Music Club is in college, and finally, their dream as a band is one step closer. Now with a couple of changes and new relationships, and some tough challenges, they work hard to achieve their goal. Mitsu and of course some justice to YuiAzu and even Mugi and Sawako. [UPDATED SUMMARY]
1. Chapter 1

Hello everyone! I really felt bad for leaving my other Mitsu fanfic alone so, I wanted to make up for it by writing this fanfic. It's not solely Mitsu, however. This time, I felt like throwing in some YuiAzu! They won't be around yet for the first chapter, though.

To be honest, I have the unposted chapters of the other Mitsu fanfic I wrote it's just that I'm not sure if I should still upload them (I have to do some major editing!) so, if this gets good reviews, I might just decide to continue this and the fanfic I abandoned! Painful term, I know.

Enough with the long intros…

* * *

 **Chapter 1**

*Beep! Beep! Beep!*

"Oh for the love of..." a brunette sleepily groaned as she struggled to shut the alarm off. Ritsu shuffled to her side, giving a quick stretch, and turned around to see Mio's delicate face.

 _How did I get so lucky?_ Ritsu thought to herself. It's been a two months since Ritsu confessed her love to Mio, and about two weeks or so since they started being official.

Of course, the confession didn't come easy. It happened at one of their practices at Mugi's summer home up North when Yui suggested a test of courage, which was later revealed to be a part of Ritsu's plan.

Halfway through the forest, Mio started to freak out, and instantly clung to Ritsu.

"Kyaaaa!" she screamed, nearly waking up half the country.

After a few more minutes, she heard some rustling coming from the bush and held on tighter to the almost-abused brunette. She continued to scream in fear, until it transitioned to helpless yet muffled cries onto Ritsu's chest. Here, Ritsu started feeling a little bad and thought her plan had foiled.

"Hey, Mio... It'll be okay. We'll get through the forest, trust me!" despite Ritsu's encouragements, Mio still hid in her chest. Ritsu couldn't help but brush back some of Mio's hair behind her ear. Even in the absence of sunlight, Mio was still as beautiful as ever.

"Mio? Let's go." Ritsu checked on Mio one more time just to find a scared little girl which happened to be a full grown woman at the same time.

"No, leave me here." Mio slowly let go of Ritsu, and sat down on the ground burying her face in her knees "Let the weird things in the dark take me." she acted as if she was raising a white flag, signaling her surrender.

"Alright, now you're being ridiculous for two good reasons. One, I highly doubt anything is even there in the first place, and two..." Ritsu leveled with Mio, lifting up her face with her right hand "I wouldn't dare leave the person I love in the dark."

 _Wait, what?_

No matter how dark it was, Mio could see how flushed Ritsu's face had become. Mio was starting to get all flustered, but tried her best to hide it or else Ritsu would just tease her. She wanted to say something in reply, but couldn't find the right words.

"How ironic of me, talking about how ridiculous you are by being ridiculous myself! Let's just forget about all that and-" Ritsu was about to stand up when Mio suddenly grabbed her arm and pulled the drummer into a hug. Although, Mio wasn't hugging her because she was scared; it was a whole different situation now. Her heart was racing, and she could feel Ritsu's beating just as fast.

"I wouldn't dare forget the words uttered by the person I love." Mio practically whispered this into Ritsu's ear. Ritsu, who believed that Mio had set her eyes on other people, was dumbfounded by her statement.

 _My best friend… I, I never really planned on telling her how I felt because I was so scared of losing her but now… Is this really happening?_

Mio didn't feel scared anymore. She was with Ritsu, and that's all she'd probably ever need.

 _How cheesy of this idiot to make me go through a test of courage just to spill the beans. *Sigh* I love her anyways…_

The hug was silent, pressing closer and closer, as if the two longed for such an embrace. This went on for a while til Ritsu broke the silence.

"What happens now?" Mio pulled away from Ritsu. She gave Ritsu a soft smile that was bright enough to overpower the dark.

And that was the only answer Ritsu needed.

* * *

And now, here she is with the girl she loves so dearly right next to her.

Mio moved around a bit and slowly opened her eyes. She smiled a bit noticing how Ritsu was probably watching her sleep.

"Good morning." the girl said in a hoarse, morning voice. Ritsu almost swooned upon hearing this.

"Hey, 'sup? Sleep well?" Ritsu rested her head on her arm.

"I always do, as long as you're in the same bed as me." Mio planted a soft peck on Ritsu's nose "Even when I have nightmares." she stood up from the bed, stretching. She was dressed in a loose white shirt and purple shorts. She grabbed a towel hanging on a peg by the closet, making her way to the bathroom.

"Really, is that all I get in the morning?" Ritsu pouted.

Mio made a graceful spin facing Ritsu and sighed "Yes because I have classes I need to attend." with that, the bassist shut the bathroom door and made sure to lock it.

Ritsu walked up to the door, making one more attempt "I can't join you in there either?"

"Uh, uh, that would cause a delay as well!" Mio's voice had the slightest hint of tease in them.

Ritsu walked back to bed in defeat, preparing her things for her classes later in the afternoon.

* * *

The group was now in college. Mio and Ritsu had moved into a dorm together, Mugi stayed in a condo unit, while Yui stayed in a temporary apartment so that when Azusa graduates, she'd surely have a roommate.

Mio and Ritsu were pretty open about their relationship in college, much to Ritsu's surprise. She didn't really expect the typically shy Mio to enjoying being out and about, but this pleased her anyway. Ritsu met Mio's friends, and vice versa. Some thought it was weird and avoided one or the other, while others thought they were really cool and supported their relationship.

Mio had finally finished getting ready, grabbing her phone and keys as she made her way to the door.

"I'm going out now." she said in anticipation of Ritsu's clingy goodbyes. They may be annoying routines, but Mio grew to love them. It was one way for her to get to class without being hotheaded.

"Leaving me already Mio? You still have fifteen minutes." Ritsu was in a towel, painfully walking up to Mio as she refused being left alone. Mio checked her phone and knew she didn't exactly have fifteen minutes to spare.

"Baka, you do this every day. What am I gonna do with you if we break up?" Mio only realized what she said the millisecond after.

 _Oh crap, oh crap, oh crap, oh crap._

"W-what...?"

"That was terrible of me to say! I'm so sorry, I didn't mean that!"

Ritsu was still quiet, already at the brink of tears.

Mio sighed and put down her things. At this point, she could care less about the time. She cupped Ritsu's face in her hands and closed the distance between their lips. This kiss was deep, and Mio made sure that it sent a message to Ritsu. The brunette who had to deal with separation anxiety prior to Mio's action kissed back, tugging on her sleeve. She was engrossed in the short lived fantasy.

Mio pulled away but still cupped Ritsu's face in her hands "I'm never leaving you, okay?"

Ritsu held Mio's hands and left a soft kiss on them "I promised you then and I'll promise you once more, I'm never leaving you." Ritsu kissed Mio one last time, for a short while "Either in the dark, or broad daylight."

The moment was ruined when Mio's eyes met the menacing time on her watch. She had less than two minutes to make it to her first class. That is, if she ran and were suddenly possessed by some sort of running spirit or whatnot.

"I gotta go. Bye, I love you."

"I love you too." Even though Ritsu was alone, she didn't feel too far away from Mio.

* * *

Aaaaand, there's the first chapter! I hope you guys liked this! I wanted to open with some Mitsu fluff before getting into the technical parts, just so you guys could go all kyaaa and stuff.

Don't be shy, leave a review! I appreciate the read!

Update: I forgot to add the line breaks in my first upload lol. Fixed!


	2. Chapter 2

Thanks for the reviews for the first chapter! It's been a while since I last wrote so, I thought I was gonna suck.

Oh, just a quick note, Ritsu and Mio stay in one of those house-like dormitories. Some of the dormitories are know of are the room type ones so yeah Ritsu and Mio's are kinda like an apartment. Anyway, here's chapter 2!

* * *

 **Chapter 2**

Things at the dormitory started off on a slow pace. Ritsu still had tons of free time, so she decided to watch a cooking show. Yui would sometimes tease Ritsu for watching these shows because she found them boring, but Ritsu would counter by cooking exactly what she saw on TV. Most of the time, the outcome was a boastful Ritsu and a speechless Yui, deeply enticed with the dish Ritsu had made.

Just when a tricky part was about to show, Ritsu received a message from one of her friends.

-Yo, Tainaka-san! We're heading out for drinks later, coming with?-

Reading the text again, she pondered on it for a second. Ritsu did drink before on occasion, and her alcohol tolerance was too bad either. The thing that bothered her was what Mio could possibly say about this. They've never really brought up the topic of drinking and all.

 _How high is the probability of Mio killing me if I go out to drink?_ She went on to think some more and imagined Azusa dressed as an angel on her right shoulder. Angel Azusa tripped a bit and adjusted her halo. She put her hands on her hips, pointing her harp to Ritsu.

"Mio-senpai would not be pleased! Just spend some time at home, tell your friends you have homework." Ritsu nodded in agreement with her imagination of Angel Azusa when suddenly Yui appeared on her left shoulder, dressed as a little devil.

"Bah, have some fun, Captain! Celebrate how you bagged yourself a girl as hot and smart as Mio! Drink! Drink! Drink!" Devil Yui danced around Ritsu's shoulder, making Ritsu bob to the beat Yui's tiny feet were making.

"Yui-senpai! Stop violating Ritsu-senpai's mind! She knows better!" Angel Azusa was glowing even brighter with rage.

"Eh, Azunyan! You're one to talk! If it's anything, you should be dressed in a devil costume too..." she paused "Knowing what you do to me when we're alone." A harp came flying to Devil Yui's direction, knocking the little devil out cold.

"Shut up!"

Ritsu had no idea what she was imaging anymore, and was even more confused since she had the tiniest thought of how naughty Azusa and Yui could probably be. She shook her head, being bothered by her own thoughts.

It wasn't long til the door clicked open, and Mio stepped inside.

"Tadaima!"

"Mio!" Ritsu ran towards the flustered bassist fresh from her hasty classes and hugged her tight.

"Hey, I missed you too."

"Mio, I need your help!"

"What's wrong?" Ritsu pulled away from the hug and ran to get her cellphone. She came back and showed it to Mio's face.

"Look!"

Mio read the text message and just chuckled "What's the problem? Go then."

"Eh?"

"Ritsu, I'm your girlfriend, not your second parent. I'm not exactly restricting you from these things." Mio patted Ritsu's head. She found it a little odd when people are way too strict in relationships. To her, it looked like dating your mom or your dad. She decided to not be the pushy type when it came to Ritsu, so she was kind of lenient when it came to things like this.

"But, but... Won't the bed feel lonely without me?"

Mio sighed and made her way to the sofa. She patted the side next to her, signaling for Ritsu to come over. Once Ritsu had given in to Mio's request, Mio leaned on to Ritsu's shoulder, and hugged her arm "The bed won't feel lonely because I know you're coming back." Mio said in a soft, gentle voice.

"God, Mio, why do you have to be this cheesy all the time?" Ritsu let out a soft laugh which resulted in Mio punching her a bit on the gut.

"Don't try me, Tainaka."

"Oh, she speaks!" Ritsu laughed once more "Whatever, since you're okay with it, I guess I could use some time to hang out with my college friends."

"There we go." Mio said, her tone giving off a hint of satisfaction.

* * *

Ritsu always told Mio she was okay just the way she is, but Mio thought otherwise. Still being overly concerned of her figure, she resorted to working out a bit while Ritsu was out. She was also hoping that this would tire her out and help her get some sleep. After all, naps after working out are the best.

She went outside to the park nearby their dormitory. She stopped by a tree, stretching. Mio preferred working out at night because not many people would see her. She then ran a few laps around the park. While running, she was listening to a few Hokago Tea Time songs. She felt a little nostalgic listening to the songs after such a long time.

*Zzz! Zzz!*

"Oh?" she checked to see who was calling her and saw that it was Sawako "Ah, hi, Sawa-chan."

"Mio! Is Ritsu around?"

"Uh, no but, if you were trying to reach her, why didn't you just call her cell?"

"Because that'd be too boring! Anyway, without the so-called-band-leader around, you take this message."

Mio leaned forward, curiosity growing "Okay, what is it?"

"Here goes, my friend from Death Devil has gotten huge since the band went their own separate ways hooray for her right?" an obvious hit at sarcasm "And she's playing at Budokan six months from now! Early preparation is key, right! All great musicians need practice!"

"Sawa-chan, did you just call to give me pep talk?"

"No, of course not! The reason I'm calling you is because she needs an opening act! I was hoping you guys could take the offer since it _has_ always been your goal to perform there, right? And besides, I told her about you guys, and she's seen you perform. She thinks you guys totally fit the part. Apparently, you guys suit the kind of music she wants to keep producing."

Mio was speechless, she wanted to scream and shake the life out of Ritsu once she tells her the news but sadly, she was not around at the moment and the landlady would've kicked her out if she made too much noise.

"Well, are you up to the challenge? I'll call Yui and the others so I can give them some information. That way, it'll be easier for you guys to invite them over to practice!"

"Sawa-chan, this is huge! I, I can't believe this is happening."

"Technically, not yet. You guys still have to pass up to their expectations but, you know, being the biased motherly manager figure I am, you guys will nail it! Now, I gotta go, I'm gonna talk to my friend about this. Ja!" with that, Sawako hung up.

Mio wanted so bad to call Ritsu but she knew she was probably drunk or in the moment. She shrugged this off and went back to working out.

 _Finally, the moment the club has been waiting for! Ritsu, your childhood dreams will finally become a reality!_ she thought to herself and sighed _This might even be Hokago Tea Time's big break!_

* * *

Mio was getting ready to go to bed. She picked out a simple nightgown and put the air conditioning up, she felt like snuggling i bed or rather, cuddling with Ritsu. They didn't need two separate beds so they replaced the two different beds with one double bed. The landlady found this odd at first but was also blessed with yuri goggles so she understood the situation and knew exactly what was going on. Ritsu and Mio didn't know whether to feel thankful or bothered.

A few minutes later, Mio heard the door clicking and knew Ritsu had arrived. The brunette stumbled to get inside, the smell of alcohol overpowering their dormitory "Tadaima~~~" Ritsu purred. She took off her coat and shoes, and dropped her bag to the side.

She washed her face and brushed her teeth before proceeding to their room. Ritsu almost tripped a few times. She passed by Mio as she walked up to their closet and waved her hello, which Mio found rather cute. Mio sat up when she saw Ritsu, she was about to tell her the good news but realized Ritsu was too drunk to even fully grasp the news. Moments later, Ritsu emerged from the corner dressed in a loose white shirt and pajamas.

"Did you have fun?" Mio smiled.

"Eh? Oh, Mio! How I missed you!" Ritsu ran towards the bed and pinned Mio down, kissing her deeply. Despite brushing her teeth, the taste of liquor was still slightly present. Mio didn't seem to mind. In between kisses, Mio could feel Ritsu's lips curving into a smile. The bassist laughed this off.

Mio finally breathed when Ritsu pulled away, but she was still pinned down. Mio simply shrugged "I'll take that as a yes." Mio pulled Ritsu in for another kiss, and now she was in power.

"Mio, I'm really happy~~~" Ritsu said, pulling away once more for another breath.

"Why's that?" Ritsu pulled away and held up two fingers.

"One, because we get to play at Budokan! Yui called me and she said Sawa-chan's friend needed an opening act! I was so happy I chugged a bottle down in celebration! I told my friends and they ordered ice cream! I even sang my heart out at karaoke! Mio! Mio!" Ritsu started jumping while on her knees. Mio calmed the hyped drummer down before other residents get the wrong idea upon hearing the sounds the bed was making.

Amazingly, Yui beat Mio to telling Ritsu about the good news. That explains why she's this drunk. "Alright, alright! I heard you the first time." Mio sighed but dismissed Ritsu's childish action. The brunette, however, was still holding another finger up "So what's the other reason?"

Ritsu let out a chuckle and put her finger to Mio's lips "We have to celebrate, but I challenge you to keep quiet while doing so."

"Eh?" Mio shuddered but before she could protest, Ritsu had already taken over.

It was going to be a long night.

* * *

I tried to keep that last part as T-Rated as possible. Hopefully, I succeeded. Feel like leaving a review? Go ahead! Feel like adding this to your favorites? Have at it!

The next chapter's going to shed some light for Yui and Azusa. They should have their share too, you know. See you then!


	3. Chapter 3

Sorry for the delay! I had my exams and I also had to deal with the file mess on my computer lol sorry. Thanks for sticking around! Here's the next chapter!

* * *

 **Chapter 3**

Mugi called the others to breakfast at one of her uncles' restaurants. She even invited Azusa.

This restaurant was a pancake house, but it also offered tea which Mugi brewed herself. Up to this day, Mugi still appreciated any part time work she could offer.

Yui and Azusa arrived first. They met up at the train station so they could go to the diner together.

"Azunyan! I missed you so much!"

"Senpai, I told you, you don't have to be this clingy in public." Azusa groaned, desperately trying to free herself from Yui's hold.

"Oh, is that so? Hehe, what does my Azunyan have in mind when we're in private then?"

"S-shut up!" Azusa had turned redder than her guitar, which appeared to have pleased Yui.

The two got to the diner, trying to look for their blonde friend. Yui spotted Mugi from across the room approaching the seats she had reserved for them. Mugi stepped out of the kitchen, bringing in some tea to their table.

"Mugi-chan, you have no idea how deprived I am of your tea! I feel so blessed to be tasting this once again! Arigato!" Yui bowed.

Mugi chuckled softly and joined the two "It's my pleasure, Yui."

Azusa looked around and started to wonder, "Where's Mio-senpai and Ritsu-senpai?"

"Oh, they're probably still at the dorm. Who knows what they could've done after hearing the good news!"

Azusa nearly spit out her tea upon hearing Yui's bold assumptions. Uh, no pun intended.

"Sawa-chan said she couldn't come, though. She had to talk to some producers and all." Mugi said, looking a little disappointed.

"Aww, is that so?"

The bell on the front door rang and there came Ritsu and Mio. Ritsu looked a little worn out while Mio was still yawning. The two approached the table hand in hand.

"Captain! Mio-chan!" Yui exclaimed. She studied the aura given out by the two and announced her conclusion one more time "I was right! They _did_ celebrate!" Yui earned a bonk on the head from Mio.

"No more drinking for another ten years or so..." Ritsu held her head in pain.

"So Ricchan celebrated with Mio-chan even though she was drunk? Amazing! You never fail to surprise us, Captain!"

"Ah, but the great Ritsu-sama can do anything!" Ritsu and Yui held their fists up feeling victorious, only to earn a bump on each of their heads courtesy of Mio.

After they finally got into terms with the main agenda, Mugi explained in detail their opportunity to play at Budokan. Well, it should've been expected that she'd be Sawako's best pick to tell the bits about the gig to. Sure enough, that call wasn't short. She explained how Norimi, Sawako's Death Devil guitarist, had become a solo act. However, the music she plays is quite different from her Death Devil days. It was softer, according to Sawako.

"I think we should play Fuwa Fuwa Time!" Yui suggested.

"Yui, we're not exactly playing just one song. I guess we should have at least four or five listed down." Mio explained "Come to think of it, it's been a while since I last played. Schoolwork has been pretty troublesome."

"How about we practice every Saturday? That way, Azusa will be able to attend. I'll call my dad and ask about any studios he could suggest." when in doubt, call Mugi-chan! So the great Hirasawa proverbs say...

"Really, Mugi-chan?! Oh! Will you also serve us some tea while we're there?"

 _Some things never change..._ Mio thought to herself. She looked down to the table where Ritsu's hand was intertwined with hers. _Well, I maybe this did..._

"Hmm? Is there something on my face Mio?" Mio didn't realize that she'd unconsciously looked at Ritsu.

"U-uh, it's nothing. I was just lost in thought." Mio ducked her face, hoping it would hide her blush from her friends.

"Eh? How moe of you, Mio! Hey, she might be really timid around me in public, but back at the dorm-" Mio quickly covered her Ritsu's mouth with her free hand. Yui suddenly sat up looking determined.

"Azunyan, take notes from your senpais!"

"Eh?! For what?!"

"Future use!"

"Yui-senpai!"

* * *

The time finally came for each of them to leave. Ritsu still had some research to do for one class, and Mio had to go help. Mugi was going to meet up with Sawako, while Yui walked Azusa back to the station. The cheerful vibe Yui had earlier slowly washed away.

Back after graduation, Yui invited Azusa to their house for a sleepover. She wanted to spend as much time as possible with her kohai before leaving for college.

"Nee, Azunyan, how about we practice a bit while we're here?"

"But, there's nothing to practice for anymore, Yui-senpai..." her voice grew softer "You guys are going to college."

Azusa hung her head low, just in case tears start to shed. Yui peeked at Azusa from where she was looking down on, and put on a soft smile of reassurance for her kohai.

"Music never stops, Azunyan. As long as you have the heart, it'll continue to grow with you!"

"Did it take you until after graduation for you to actually teach me something important?"

"Mou, Azunyan! I tried really hard, you know?" Azusa let out a chuckle. At the sight of this, Yui didn't even seem to be bothered by Azusa's little banter.

"But, there's no doubt that I'll miss you though."

Yui's eyes widened. Azusa may be a little hard to crack when it comes to emotions, so this was very rewarding for her to see. Better yet, a privilege.

"A-ah! Not that it means anything more than that!" Azusa's face was already flushed crimson red.

It wasn't long til Yui trapped the girl in her arms. Normally, Azusa would squirm out of Yui's hold but this time, there was no place she'd rather be.

 _Why am I not resisting? Was...was I right about my feelings after all?_ Azusa had always seen Yui as her senpai, even though there were instances when Azusa acted more mature. There was something about Yui's smiles and optimistic outlook in life that made Azusa's heart beat like crazy. She first dismissed the tiny feeling as an expression of joy and admiration, but little by little assumed that it was so much more.

Yui rested her head on Azusa's shoulder, giving a bit of a nuzzle. She didn't say anything. Yui simply laid there. Azusa hesitated to hug back, but eventually complied. She could feel Yui smiling.

"Weird how I'm already in my own house, yet I feel more at home here with Azunyan."

If a brighter shade of red was even possible, Azusa would definitely be credited as the inventor of such a shade.

"Yui-senpai, you're being weird."

"Eh? Azunyan, how cold!" Yui pulled away, showcasing a well acted out pout with some forced drama in her tone.

Azusa suddenly felt guilty when Yui pulled away, she actually wanted more.

"I love you, Azunyan!"

"EEEEHH?" Azusa's heart felt like it was going to burst "S-s-s-senpai!"

"Maa, maa, I've already prepared for rejection." Yui smiled, trying to hide the pain, but wasn't too convincing.

Azusa let out a heavy sigh "I love you too, Yui-senpai."

And suddenly, Yui Hirasawa, who had a say to everything, was at a loss for words. She was flushed in a shade similar to Azusa's, looking like a bomb waiting to explode.

* * *

"Hihi!" Yui chuckled.

"Hmm? What's so funny, Yui-senpai?"

"I just remembered when you confessed to me after graduation. Kyaaa! You were so cute!" Yui threw herself to Azusa.

"Yui-senpai! I told you already!" Azusa sighed in defeat. There was no stopping Yui when she was this clingy.

"I'm sorry, Azunyan. I just really missed you. I don't always get to see you in person, so today was a gift for me." Azusa knew best when Yui was messing around or acting serious, and she was surprised yet dead sure that this was one of Yui's rare feats of seriousness.

"I call you everyday, don't I? And, I'll be coming over every Saturday for band practice."

"Nothing beats having you in front of me, though."

Azusa tiptoed to Yui's height, and planted a kiss on her senpai's nose. She'll let the PDA pass for now.

"Senpai, I might miss the train. I'll call you once I get home, I promise." she hugged Yui "I love you."

"I love you even more, Azunyan!" finally, Yui let Azusa go.

Perhaps, clinginess was contagious in the band? She's just as complicated as Ritsu.

* * *

Finally got through the third chapter! I hope you guys enjoyed! Oh prior to writing this I didn't know which Death Devil member to use so I had to refresh my K-On! knowledge by looking over the wikia and decided on Norimi Kawaguchi. I would've picked Della, but she was a little too hardcore to soften up lol. 'Til the next chapter!


	4. Chapter 4

Chapters might get longer starting from this point. I couldn't find a proper way to end 'em so yeah, sorry! I'll also try updating faster. Well, anyway, tada! Chapter 4!

* * *

 **Chapter 4**

On the weekends, the main objective was to either work or slack off. At Ritsu and Mio's dorm, it was a mixture of both. Apparently, Ritsu felt like being responsible today.

She got out of the shower early, spotting Mio on their sofa. She had headphones on, possibly listening to their old songs. Walking up closer, she heard Mio singing.

 _Wow, it's been a while since I've last heard Mio's voice._ Mio's voice had gotten a little mature, but still had the personality to it. _There's so much to love about her. The best part is, she hasn't let go of music. Huh, guess I was wrong when I thought Mio would pull off an "I'm a big girl now" act and go cold turkey for music. Mou, I can't wait to see Mio playing the bass again! Plus, that'd be such a turn on! Hehe!_

Mio abruptly turned around when she felt someone else in the room. She was a little embarrassed. She thought that her subtle singing would be filtered in the living room. Mio felt the need to wake her voice up after such a long time.

"Ritsu! I uh, I'm a little rusty you know-"

Ritsu got closer to her girlfriend and kissed her. Soon afterwards, she had her pinned down on the sofa.

"Your voice is amazing, Mio! You definitely have to sing some more!"

"I can't really do that lying down, let alone with you on top of me."

"Oh, right." Ritsu sat up on the sofa, helping Mio get up as well.

Mio fixed the headphones back on her ears after they fell off with Ritsu's clash.

"Hey, mind if I have a listen?"

"Yeah sure, why not." Mio handed Ritsu the other earpiece. The song playing was Fude Pen Boru Pen. Mio started singing the verse, while Ritsu slowly indulged herself in the rhythm. Once she got it down, she started tapping her fingers on the coffee table in front of them. She also started stomping her feet for the cymbals and the bass drum. Mio raised an eyebrow at Ritsu's expertise at maintaining a decent beat even without an actual drum set.

The song was over, and Mio set her iPod down. It was her turn to tackle the skilled drummer.

"How unfair of you to not be rusty."

"A drummer never loses her rhythm! Well, at least I don't." Ritsu kissed Mio softly "Thanks to you." just as the momentum was about to get going, someone, or rather a group of people, came crashing through their door.

"YOO-HOO!" Sawako shouted.

Mio and Ritsu both fell on the ground due to shock.

"Oh, did we come at a bad time?"

"Somebody get me a phone! I have to tell Azunyan to take notes!" Yui started to dig into her bag looking for her cellphone.

"Why are you guys here?!" Ritsu groaned, feeling a little down since her moment with Mio was cut short.

"Simple! We happened to bump into each other and, since I've never been in your dorm yet, I asked these guys to lead me here!" Sawako raised a thumbs up to Mugi. "Good job, Mugi-chan!" Mugi smiled softly, waving her hand to express that it was no big deal. In the blonde's eyes, there was a gleam that just showed how achieved she felt.

Sawako was applying as a professor at their university. She planned to start teaching there as soon as Azusa graduates. Part of the reason why Sawako wanted to teach at university was because she knew that, this way, she'd keep a closer eye on the girls. It was these girls that made her feel young again. _Urgh_ she irked, suddenly remembering her age.

Another reason why was because she had this need to be close to Mugi. Sawako and Mugi's progress had been rather fair up to this point, however. Then again, they were the first ones to get into a relationship.

"Not to mention, this place gives good pay!"

"Sawa-chan you're thinking aloud."

"Oh, was I? Anyway, I also came here to take measurements. You'll be opening for a superstar and great outfits take time to make so if you allow me..." Mio started to hide behind the sofa but was too slow. Sawako was now grabbing her.

"I'm sure you've grown since highschool! Especially here...ne, Ricchan?" Sawako pointed to Mio's chest while shooting Ritsu a knowing glare.

"Yes!"

"So proud!"

"RITSU!"

* * *

Mio and Ritsu made their way to the university's music room. Mugi somehow got the band all access there. Probably a Kotobuki thing?

Mio eyed a bass in the corner of the room. It was far from Elizabeth, her bass that she left back at home. It was also left handed, thankfully. She ran her fingers down the fret board and it made her smile. She missed the feeling of the thick strings on her fingers, giving her callouses. The feeling of performing on stage came back. And yes, even when she tripped over.

"Hehe."

"Shut up, baka!"

Ritsu was in her own world as well. The drums looked untouched. It was a cheap set, and needed some tuning. Ritsu sat on the stool and started doing her thing. She fixed a few knobs, listening to the beat making sure it was right and in tune. She sat up straight when she was done and played a drum part to one of their songs.

Mio instantly recognized what she was playing and started setting up the bass she was eyeing earlier before. She was ready, and started playing along with Ritsu. True enough, she struggled the first few times because Ritsu still had the tendency to rush. Every time this happened, Mio would show a frustrated look on her face which Ritsu caught, and instantly adjusted her speed. Slowly, Mio's face went calm again.

After playing for a bit, they smiled at each other and knew they shared the same intense vibe.

"That was awesome! For a cheap set like this, it does the great Ritsu-sama some justice!"

Mio set the bass down and went to Ritsu to pat her on the head. Ritsu flinched, thinking Mio might've wanted to bonk her on the head. But now, all the bassist could think of was how perfect they sounded together. What more if the entire band was here?

Ritsu got the hand on her head and kissed it. She then closed it, and put it to her heart.

"It's beating faster than how I play."

Mio let out a chuckle.

"But it's also because seeing you play again reminded me of much I love you."

"B-baka, you can't just say stuff like that."

"Hmm, why's that? Does it get you in the mood?"

"Don't make me put you in the bass drum."

"Hehe, gomen, gomen!"

Mio sighed and put the hand Ritsu had set on her chest to her face, caressing it lightly "You're a pain to follow when I play, but I enjoy every second of it."

"Such a masochistic Akiyama-san, wanting to beat her newly formed callouses to the punch!"

"Don't ruin the moment you idiot."

"Hehe, I can't help it."

* * *

Yui wasn't available for the practice Mio and Ritsu had attended to, and Mugi went out with Sawako to talk to a few producers. Bringing Mugi meant incentives for the band but, well, mostly Sawako since they couldn't really hang out due to schoolwork.

Yui was working on a report at her apartment when she received a Skype call. It was from Azusa. The excited guitarist hurriedly made her way to her laptop, toppling over stacks of readings she hadn't gotten to yet.

"Azunyan!"

"Hello, Yui-senpai."

"Mou, Azunyan, don't be too formal."

"You know how I feel about these calls, Yui-senpai."

"Are you covering up how much you miss me?"

Azusa suddenly grew bright red in front of Yui through a computer screen. Azusa tried to get to the main point why she called to get rid of her flustered self.

The kohai had called to ask Yui for her opinion on a new way she found to play a certain part in Don't say lazy!. She demonstrated through the webcam and Yui listened carefully, grabbing her earphones for a better earful. Yui appeared satisfied, but also gave her fair share of opinions and tips. She may seem like an airhead, but she knows her stuff.

"Oh, is that so, senpai?"

"Yup! Just try bending that one note you played a while ago. It'll make you sound way cooler! Also, change that one part up a bit. The notes seem slurred, but it's still pretty awesome! Azunyan is really talented!"

"Yui-senpai, you're being too humble."

"I'm only telling the truth, Azunyan." Yui put her head closer to the screen and her mood slowly changed. It was times like this when she wanted to cling herself to the little kohai. She sometimes envied how Mugi had all the freedom to go out with Sawa-chan, and how Ritsu and Mio lived under the same roof. All of her friends were so close to the person they loved, yet all Yui had was a computer screen.

"I miss you, Azunyan." Yui's voice was soft "Everyday."

"Oi, senpai-"

"I really hope Saturday comes fast. That way, I can see you again! Should I go all the way to your place? I wanna experience the whole trip back here with you." Yui was clearly bound to tire herself out going back and forth, but seeing Azusa seemed to make the situation feel a little less of a hassle.

"I miss you too, senpai. But, I wouldn't want you going through all that. You'll get me worried..." Azusa had her knees up on her seat, hugging them. It was her way of compensating for the person who she really could've hugged physically.

"Are you nervous about Budokan, Azunyan?"

"A little but, I can't say I'm not thrilled."

Yui suddenly perked up "I'm going to work really hard! I'll practice and play the lead parts in a way Hokago Tea Time has never seen before! I'll help bring us to Budokan, Azunyan!" she stood up on her seat, holding her hand out to the screen "I'll take you to Budokan!"

Of course, the sad and pouty Yui from a few seconds ago had gone back to her jumpy self. Azusa liked this side of Yui because her determination was contagious.

"I'm looking forward to it, Yui-senpai."

Yui threw Azusa a thumbs up.

* * *

"Ah, Sawa-chan!"

"Yo!"

"Who's this?" Norimi asked, turning her gaze to the blonde who was holding Sawako's hand.

"My girlfriend, Kotobuki Tsumugi." Sawako gestured to Mugi. The introduction had sent her hiding her crimson face.

"Eh? Gave up on the hunt for decent men so you decided to go for girls?" Norimi teased. "I'm just messing with you. Anyway, your girls are up for a teensy challenge, considering the Budokan gig."

"Huh? What's up?"

"Another band is also catching my manager's attention. They're really good, but they're not my type. I want one that will really go for the image I'm known for. They're a little...eh."

"So just tell your manager that!"

Norimi crossed her arms and shook her head "I wish it was that easy. Seriously, managers are a pain in the ass." she turned her attention to Mugi "Has she ever forced you guys into something you didn't like?"

Memories of Mio running away from Sawako suddenly flashed in Mugi's head.

"See what I mean?"

"Oi!"

"W-well, I can't say we hated them. Uhm, at least I didn't." Mugi tried to defend Sawako, who was ready to pummel her friend sitting opposite to them.

"About that band, are you saying we have to go one-on-one or something, Kawaguchi-san?"

"Well, that's the idea. What you guys have to do is submit a demo CD, he usually judges by musicality. From what Sawa-chan's told me, you guys are really technical so I think you have the upper hand."

"Hokago Tea Time won't disappoint you. We'll make sure your manager picks us as the opening act for your Budokan tour!"

"That's the spirt, Mugi-chan! God, I love you!"

"Alright, alright... Just give me a heads up, ayt? I'll see you soon, the bastard's gonna wonder where I've ran off to. I wish you guys the best of luck!"

 _I know we can do it, I believe in Hokago Tea Time. Azusa will never fail to impress with her amazing sense of rhythm, Yui and her blessed ears for music, Ritsu's powerful beats that go well with everyone, Mio's bass lines that blend perfectly with the sounds and not to mention her voice. As long as we work hard enough, we stand a good chance!_

Mugi nodded to herself and went on her way with Sawako.

* * *

Yes, I had to use the title in the dialogue. They don't really practice together that much, so will they be able to pull off their stuff from high school?

I play the guitar and kind of in an on and off band so, I guess that helps with the music parts of this story haha. Next chapter's going to be a little deep, I'm looking forward to posting it! Thanks for the reviews and faves so far!


	5. Chapter 5

Thanks for sticking around so far! I might try writing a Love Live fic once I'm done with this. Well, let's stick to the K-On! folks for the meantime.

* * *

 **Chapter 5**

There were guitar chords echoing in the hallways of Sakuragaoka. This had been going on for one whole week. At first, people thought it was annoying but slowly took in how beautifully the sounds were incorporated with one another. The culprit behind the music was none other than Azusa Nakano, the current president of the Light Music Club.

"Busy?" a similar looking brunette asked as she half opened the door to the club room.

"Ui-chan! Sorry, I didn't see you there." Azusa set the guitar down and shut the amplifier off, silencing the slight buzzing that came when the instrument was left idle.

"It's no biggie, I just arrived. You've really improved, Azusa-chan."

"I kind of asked Yui-senpai for tips."

"It's kind of cute how sis ends up sending messages meant for you to me by accident. She doesn't realize til I reply asking her why she was being so cheesy since I was only her sister." Azusa suddenly shuddered at the thought of Ui possibly reading those long cheesy messages Yui sent to Azusa at random instances just to brighten up her kohai's mood.

"Oh, but don't worry! Usually some of them were too long for me to read, and it was pretty obvious they were for you." Ui giggled. It may have been a laughing matter for the younger Hirasawa, but Azusa was more than embarrassed.

Ui had taken her place as rhythm and lead vocals while Azusa played lead for school chorales. Jun was still training to become their bassist, while they had yet to look for a drummer.

Having Azusa as the president of the club, she made some changes. She opened the club to music enthusiasts who wanted to learn how to play an instrument, or just loved music in general. Some of Mio's fan club members had joined and even formed a Light Music Club division of the fandom. There were times when they rummaged around the room to look for things Mio might've left so they could sell them at fan club auctions. It may sound weird, but they donated the funds to charity.

Yui left Gitah behind with Ui so she could practice and take care of it. At the apartment, Yui had purchased an acoustic guitar to practice on. It was a hassle to bring over her amp from her home to the apartment near the university.

Ui played and learned almost as fast as Yui did, and on her own as well. She started out with the classics and made her way to famous riffs. There were times when Azusa wanted to see how far Ui has gone by playing a rhythm on her guitar, waiting for the younger Hirasawa to solo over it. The first few times were slow solos, but eventually grew to become very technical and fast.

Azusa took a seat on the sofa, resting her overworked hands on her lap. She missed having Yui around to massage her hands after playing for so long. She worked harder now after hearing that they had 'competition' for the Budokan gig.

"Eh?!"

"Yup, managers really are a pain. Sawako's proof." miles away, Sawako sneezed.

"Wow, that's a lot of pressure."

"I know, right? I'm looking forward to practicing with them again so we can get our sound set."

"I'm excited, though. I know you guys are still practicing, but hearing all those talk about demo CDs and opening acts, you guys are definitely superstars!" Ui smiled, having the same enthusiasm as Yui.

"We're not exactly superstars, Ui."

"Not yet, you mean." Ui made her way right next to Azusa and patted her on the shoulder "Just you wait. Someday, your faces will be plastered on the walls of Sakuragaoka. It'll be screaming, 'The Pride of the School'! And, and, people will be lining up to see you guys perform in more concerts! Mou, Azusa, I'm starting to get all giddy for you! Lighten up, will you?"

Azusa faced Ui and let out a sigh "I'm scared, what if I disappoint them?" Ui flashed a familiar mischievous grin and clenched her right hand into a fist "We'll take out the bad guys one by one!"

"Eh?! Who exactly are they?!"

"Your negativities, Azusa-chan, your negativities!"

"I heard you the first time." she sweatdropped. Ui ran over to her amplifier and started setting Gitah up. Not too long after, she did the same to Azusa's Muttan. The girl went back in her place and crossed her arms, tapping her right foot.

"Well? Am I gonna help you get pumped for Budokan, or am I gonna help you get pumped for Budokan?" Azusa smirked and walked up to Muttan, setting up the effects gear that was newly equipped. She raised an eyebrow to Ui "Like I said, I heard you the first time."

Ui nodded in agreement, also a signal for Azusa to start her riff.

* * *

Mio was looking down at an empty space on her notebook. She wanted to try writing a new song, or at least a poem to shake up her creativity. Thing is, Mio wrote best when she was inspired or had an ideal context to write of in mind. Shooting her eyes to the different corners of the room, she looked for something to write about.

A person stood up to go outside and accidentally bumped into Mio's table, knocking over her notebook "Ah, sumimasen.", the person passively said, not even bothering to help Mio pick up her things

"Tch," Mio reached for her notebook when something slipped out. Curious as to what it was, she picked that up from the ground as well. It was a polaroid picture of her and Ritsu at an amusement park. Mio felt fuzzy inside and smiled. It was the bassist's birthday and Ritsu surprised her with a trip to the amusement park. In the picture, Ritsu was kissing Mio on the cheek, who was laughing while trying to push Ritsu away. Mio remembered how conscious she felt of her surroundings after the picture.

Then it got to her, Ritsu was her inspiration. She almost laughed at herself for being too clueless to realize. She started putting her pen to the paper when...

"Akiyama-san?"

"Oh, uhm, yes?"

"Could you tell us the metaphorical representation this line suggests?" Mio looked at the highlighted line on the slide and instantly knew the answer. She gave a fully detailed explanation, and her professor smiled.

After class, the professor called Mio up to her desk "Did I do something wrong?" Mio was worried. Her professor suddenly chuckled, a rare sight to be honest, "You're far from trouble, Akiyama-san. Your grades are going quite well in other subjects. I've seen some potential in you so I just had to ask your other professors about your class standing. Young lady, you're walking your way to being a dean's lister." Mio dismissed the thought of how her thought mildly stalked her when she heard that she was a possible dean's lister "Keep your grades up, and you're seeing a bright future ahead of you."

"That's thinking too far off, I mean, I'm not even certain if my grades will stay up long enough." Budokan practices would definitely get in the way at one point.

"Akiyama-san, you're a promising student. We're considering in sending you in you foreign exchange student program. If you do well, you might even get to study in abroad for good. You get to start a new life in another country! Isn't that exciting?"

"Oh, wow, that's...wow."

"I understand that I'm probably going all out here but, hey, at least think about it. Opportunities are out there, Akiyama-san. Make the most out of them." Mio and her professor exchanged smiles before Mio left the room.

 _Thinking about it, I'd be able to be a good provider if I really worked hard. I'll get a good job, make my family proud-_ her thoughts were cut off when she felt the picture she saw earlier tucked in her pocket. _Going abroad, wouldn't that mean that I'm leaving Ritsu behind? Not just her but, Hokago Tea Time? I mean, if the Budokan thing goes well, I'm also in for a good future but in this case, the music industry. If I study well abroad, I could get a stable job in a corporation or something. These two, however, both go with uncertainty. Ugh, this is all too much._ Mio made her way to the library. Here, she could think in peace.

She went into her favorite aisle, which donned the poets she praised. She majored in English, so reading the poems were no big deal to her. She was letting her fingers run through the spines of a line of books when her hand met someone else's.

"Surprise." the person said in an enthusiastic whisper "Ritsu?"without warning, Ritsu cupped Mio's mouth momentarily, and removed it to plant a deep kiss on Mio's lips. Mio was drawn into the kiss for a few seconds, her arms already on Ritsu's shoulders, when she got knocked back into her senses and pulled away "You idiot!" she said in a strained whisper.

Ritsu raised a finger and closed her eyes, looking achieved "I challenged myself back then to make out with you in the library. Well, we didn't exactly make out just now but, I liked the thrill of it anyway."

Mio facepalmed but was honest in the end "I guess the rush was a little exciting."

"See?! Oh gosh next I'm going to plan on pinning you to a study table here and-"

"U-uhm, how about you don't go too extreme here."

"Man, that's a downer."

"I realized though, how did you find me in this aisle? Or, did you just happen to be lucky?"

Ritsu crossed her arms and titled her head to the side, confused "How could I not know? We went book shopping back then and all you did was swoon over these names," Ritsu pointed to the shelves behind her "So I thought that you were here. How depressing of you to underestimate me, Mio-chan~" Ritsu purred in disappointing dramatic finesse.

"Whatever," Mio was acting rather passive, and it started to bother Ritsu. Ritsu put her hand on Mio's cheek. The bassist put her hand to Ritsu's hand, leaning her head to that side "You can tell me anything, you know?" Ritsu's voice was full of reassurance and Mio loved it. Even with that sense of encouragement, however, Mio still couldn't talk. Ritsu sighed, deciding to give the stressed out girl some time. Ritsu landed a soft kiss on Mio's head "Tell me later, okay? I'm going to class now. I love you." Mio watched as Ritsu walked away and felt bad for not saying anything. Although, giving her some time to gather her thoughts was good too.

* * *

Back at the dorm, Ritsu was cooking a simple ramen for her and Mio. She thought that it would be easy eating for the insanely troubled bassist. She sat next to Mio on their bed. Pulling out a foldable bed table, Ritsu settled the ramen on it in front of Mio, who appeared to be massaging her temples.

Ritsu started sipping on some of her soup, when Mio hugged her arm. Ritsu had to put down her bowl, struggling to eat now that Mio was clinging to her.

"Ritsu, I'm always here for you, okay?"

"That's out of nowhere. If there's anybody who should be saying that right now, it should be me. What's bothering you, hmm? I've been worrying all day." Mio hugged Ritsu's arm tighter. Before Mio could totally trap Ritsu's arm, Ritsu pulled it away from Ritsu's hold so she could put it around Mio's body. At least that way, there was more for Mio to hug.

"I'm so conflicted." Mio said, her voice a little muffled since she dug onto Ritsu's shirt "I have to choose between two things that have yet to supply me with a definite answer."

"Mind expanding that?" Mio went on about what her professor said, explaining the foreign exchange program, and the possibility of her staying in abroad for good. As she went on explaining, the tender smile on Ritsu's face slowly subdued. The thought of Mio moving away pierced holes into Ritsu's heart. When Mio was done explaining, she waited in desperation for Ritsu to speak. The drummer took one heavy breath and finally, "Oh..."

The two were quiet for a while. It didn't even occur to them that the ramen was getting cold.

"You know, they said that I was only going to stay if I do good. I can just-"

"No, Mio, you're not failing on purpose. Let's be real, you wanna take the chance. If you say no to this, you're in for a life of regret. You're a smart girl, Mio. And, I believe in you."

"Try thinking about that same statement except this time, with Budokan." Ritsu paused and realized Mio's point "It's the exact same thing." Ritsu went quiet again, and sighed once more.

"Life, right? Yikes." she forced out a chuckle. Ritsu started feeling her shirt getting damp, and it was no question that it was from Mio's tears. Ritsu wiped away Mio's tears with the back of her hand.

"I don't want to leave you, the band, or my family."

"But that'd make everybody's lives better as a whole. When you get a good job after graduating, you can help the people you love back home."

"I want to perform in Budokan. I want it just as much as everybody else. At the same time, I don't want to fail and regret that I never chose abroad in the first place." Ritsu hugged Mio tighter "Mioooo, if only I could hug your problems away."

"I'm sorry for forcing you into this situation."

"Oh please, you're paying me for this anyway."

"Baka."

"I was only messing with you, you pouty sucker." Ritsu sat up and pulled the table with ramen towards them. She got a spoonful of her ramen and smiled with total satisfaction "Eat up, lighten up your mood. The great Ritsu-sama's cooking is still good no matter what the temperature it's in!" Mio smiled and complied with Ritsu's goofy suggestion. Times like this Mio wanted to thank being best friends with Ritsu before they started dating. They had a foundation of trust, and they knew they could rely on each other.

* * *

Ritsu couldn't sleep that night. She had a dream where she and the other members of the Light Music Club escorted Mio to the airport. Ritsu held Mio's hand as she went over to departures. When it was time for Mio to leave, she slowly let go of Ritsu's hand, her fingers hanging loose.

Ritsu counted the number of steps before she could no longer see Mio anymore. She watched the plane take flight and felt empty. Mio had taken Ritsu's heart with her.

The scene changed to the future. Ritsu was a music producer watching television. It was the news and they were awarding Mio with something business related. Ritsu jumped in excitement and called her friends to watch with her. She went on and on saying that it was her girlfriend on TV but the people around her just looked stumped, surprised she had a girlfriend in the first place.

"You bozos, of course she's my girlfriend! She-" her voice trailed off when she noticed something odd about the display on the TV. She thought they got Mio's name wrong because her surname wasn't Akiyama anymore. Ritsu felt her entire being crashing to the floor.

She suddenly wondered what happened to them and if their relationship ended while Mio was abroad and how they surprisingly got over with their lives. Mio's promises to never leave Ritsu's side echoed in her head over and over again. Ritsu started to cry, and before she knew it, she woke up with real tears rolling down her cheeks. Mio was startled seeing Ritsu so emotional at the middle of the night.

"Ritsu, what's wrong? Hey, hey, stop crying, stop crying." Mio pulled Ritsu close to her and started stroking her hair "I'm here for you, was it a bad dream?"

"A very bad dream." Ritsu sniffled "Don't leave me, Mio." Ritsu started tearing up some more and Mio eventually got an idea as to what kind of nightmare Ritsu just had. She kissed Ritsu lightly on the lips, tasting some of the saltiness from the brunette's tears. "I love you, baka." Mio's voice was tender and genuine. Ritsu kissed back, cupping Mio's face. Slowly, she began to calm down. When she was okay, she finally went back to sleep.

"Ah shimatta..." Mio groaned as she slowly closed her eyes.

* * *

"I heard about Mio-chan." Yui said, handing Ritsu a bag of chips. Ritsu forcefully opened it, placing a handful in her mouth "Yeah..."

"What's she gonna do?"

"I don't know. I wish I knew how to help her."

"Ricchan, it's obvious you don't want Mio-chan to go on that program. You want her to choose Budokan. If we practice, we'll get to open for Sawa-chan's friend! And, we might even get signed."

"That's the problem Yui." Ritsu said, taking in another handful " _If_ we practice. It's just as Mio said - there is no certainty with both."

"Then let's make her sure with one choice." Yui said, "We'll practice really hard for Budokan. When we pass the auditions, we're gonna give the crowd a performance they'll never forget! We'll call the attentions of record labels everywhere. We'll make sure Mio-chan just knows for sure that this will be her big break!" Yui's eyes had a glint of determination. She's been friends with the bassist since high school, and didn't want to see her go far away from the band. To Yui, nobody was capable of replacing Mio as their bassist.

Ritsu didn't look so down anymore. She raised an eyebrow and clenched her right hand into a fist "It's settled! I'm going to practice nonstop! We'll beat that other band and we'll become big stars!"

"Hai!"

* * *

"So, Sawa-chan, what did the producer say?"

"Well, you guys definitely have to prepare a demo CD. He set the deadline for next month."

"Next month? Oh no, that's the month of-"

"Your exams, I know. I'll get them to move the deadline, don't worry." Sawako smiled.

"T-that and... Our anniversary." Sawako's eyes grew wider and she put a hand to her head. She almost forgot about her and Mugi's first anniversary.

At first, Mugi's father seemed reluctant upon hearing that his daughter was dating another girl, better yet, her own teacher. Then again, a thought crossed her father's mind. With Mugi dating Sawako, it would cut off all the arranged marriages that his coworkers had planned. He hated the other companies because to him, they 'weren't any fun'. Since then, he's been very supportive of the bond.

"I'm sorry I almost forgot, Mugi-chan."

"No, I understand. You must be really busy and all."

"Mugi, Mugi, Mugi, that's okay. Don't make yourself look like the bad guy. Alright, I'm going to make our first anniversary memorable. It'll be just you and me for one whole important day, that's a promise." Sawako said, her voice sincere "That's how much you mean to me."

"I-I wanna make it memorable too! I will out-date you!"

"Oh! A competition? I like it!"

"You just wait, Sawa-chan! I'm going to make it so memorable you'll, you'll... You'll want to propose to me!" Mugi covered her mouth "E-eh! I meant to say that, you'll-"

"I accept the challenge even more!"

"EH?!"

* * *

Mio classes ended later than Ritsu's. Ritsu always headed home first, except for today. Mio walked up to the counter next to the door and found a note.

'Went out, I'll be back by 8:00. Don't worry too much. I love you! -Ritsu'

Mio checked her watch, it was 9:00. To hell with not worrying, it was an hour past the desired time of Ritsu's arrival. She grabbed her phone out of her bag and called Ritsu. All she heard were beeps. Ritsu was unavailable. Where could she have gone?

Mio waited until past midnight. Ritsu was still gone. She thought that Ritsu probably decided to go drinking, given the stress she contributed to her. Mio was on the verge of breaking down. She called Ritsu's phone one more time but it was still unavailable.

"Ritsu you idiot..." she felt tears streaming down her face and eventually cried herself to sleep.

* * *

There you have it, Chapter 5! I guess I kinda owe you guys an apology or something for the drastic change in length. I dunno, I kinda feel the story more when it's longer lol *bows and apologizes once again*


	6. Chapter 6

**Chapter 6**

Yo! Did the update take too long? I'm sorry! Anyway, I just got back from a convention and it was pretty cool. This chapter's also deep in a way but there are also some fun and fluffy parts too. Enjoy!

* * *

Yui had a free day so she decided to make her way to the practice room. It felt different going to practice without Gitah, and even thought Gitah would get jealous knowing she played with a different guitar.

They were each given a key to the room, courtesy of Mugi. Yui was about to put the key in the knob when she discovered that it was unlocked. The lights were on. Inside, the air conditioning was on too. Somebody probably used it before her. Well, it's not like the room was exclusive to just them.

Yui was surprised that there definitely was somebody here before her. There was a person in a hoodie sitting by the drums. She rested her head on the snare drum, and appeared to be asleep. Yui walked closer to the figure.

"Uhm, excuse me?"

The person groaned and moved around a bit "Urgh, what... WHAT? EH!" she jumped up, hitting one of the cymbals "I FELL ASLEEP! I WAS HERE ALL NIGHT!"

"RICCHAN?!" Ritsu wiped off the saliva on her face and rushed to get her things. She picked up her drumsticks and stuffed them in her bag, the ends popping out.

"I told Mio I'd be back by 8:00! Crap, I am so dead!"

"Wait, Ricch-" Ritsu was out the door before Yui could even finish.

* * *

Ritsu was so stuck to the idea of Mio not having to leave. She decided to practice all night, no matter how tired her arms would get. Yes, her intention was to finish by 7:30 so she'd be back by 8:00. Unfortunately, she got too frustrated with double peds and her drumming getting out of sync so she lost track of the time. Tiring herself, she ended up spending the night in the practice room. Her phone went dead since she put a song on repeat, draining the battery rapidly.

She ran back to their dorm, preparing for the worst. The door was unlocked, of course. Mio was waiting for her. Ritsu pushed it open, driven by worry and concern.

"Mio!" Ritsu yelled. There was no reply. Ritsu ran over to their room and found Mio fast asleep. She breathed a sigh of relief. Ritsu dropped her bag and crawled up next to the bassist, exhausted from running. Mio felt the weight next to her, waking her up. She turned to that side and found Ritsu panting, her face red and in sweats.

"Baka." Mio muttered. Ritsu looked up and pulled Mio close, kissing her on the forehead. Mio snuggled into Ritsu "Where..."

"I was practicing yesterday. I didn't notice how sleepy I've gotten and somehow dozed off. I spent the night in the practice room." Ritsu tightened her hold on Mio, and sneaked a glance at Mio's face. She noticed some dark circles under Mio's eyes which made her feel even more guilty "I'm so sorry."

Mio made her way to Ritsu's arm, attempting to stroke it when suddenly, she flinched "I well, I was kinda nonstop."

"You're hurt."

"It doesn't matter. I'm doing this for you and the band!"

"Ritsu, I can see past all that bravado. Please, don't hurt yourself trying to save me." Mio brought her hand to Ritsu's face and let her thumb glide on Ritsu's cheeks. They felt warm, probably still from all the running Ritsu did earlier.

"I want you here." Ritsu painfully admitted. "I sound selfish, I know. But, nothing's ever made more sense before you came into my life. If you were far away from me, agh, I'd be lost and hopeless."

"I appreciate the effort, Ritsu. But I don't want to see you breaking your arms or something. Look, if I do move, you know, far away..." Mio paused "I'll promise to make it work."

Ritsu leaned forward, making her forehead touch Mio's. She then slowly closed her eyes "It'll be different, you know. Like, I won't be feeling your hugs anymore. And, how long til I get to feel the softness of your lips again?"

"You talk like I'm leaving tomorrow, baka. Listen, we don't know what's going to happen yet. If there's anything we can do, it's that we let things go as they please. Whatever happens, happens. For now, don't jump to conclusions. Let's just relax, okay?" Mio checked her watch and let out a chuckle "I guess I don't have to jump to far into conclusions when I say I'm going to skip my next class."

Mio sat up from the bed and grabbed a towel, making her way to the bathroom "Uhm..." Mio stopped and turned to Ritsu.

"What?"

"I know you're kinda feeling bad but, I want to make it up to you..." Mio's voice trailed off as she opened the door "D-do you wanna j-join me?" in an instant, Ritsu stood up from the bed and started taking her clothes off.

"Aren't you tired?!"

"No time for talk, Mio! We just had one long discussion! Can't say I'm not sad anymore but, what you need now is a bath with Ritsu-sama!"

* * *

Back at the practice room, Yui shrugged off the show Ritsu had just put on. She went on with practicing by herself. There was a guitar resting with a bunch of other instruments in the corner. A right handed bass and a guitar lacking strings were present too.

Yui picked up the first guitar that caught her eye. It was a Fender, a little beat up. The blue paint was washing off a bit but Yui found the effect cool. Plugged in, it didn't sound as beat up as it looked. She strummed a chord, and knew something was wrong. It was definitely out of tune. Luckily, her blessed ears would do the trick. It didn't take her too long to fix it up.

Yui started by playing Fuwa Fuwa Time. It seemed different playing alone. She checked her watch and figured it might've been lunch break at Sakuragaoka, so she made a phone call.

*Zzz! Zzz!*

"Yui-senpai?" Azusa answered the call and was alarmed by the piercing feedback.

"Azunyan!"

"Oi, senpai! What's up with the sound?!"

"Oh, right!" Azusa could her Yui cluttering through stuff and eventually, the ringing of the feedback stopped "How's that?"

"Better. Now, why'd you call?"

"I'm at a practice room here in our university! You see, I found Ricchan here this morning so I was a little excited because I thought I'd be playing alone. Turns out she was here all night and went home. In the end, I did have to play by myself and now it feels weird! I called you to keep me company!"

"Yui-senpai, you do realize my lunch break doesn't last that long."

"Eh, that's okay! Hey, I'll play you a bit of Fuwa Fuwa Time. Listen!" Yui had set the phone down but this time, a further distance than before to the amplifier. Azusa could hear her setting up. She missed the sound of static before a good set.

Yui started to play the intro. As if by instinct, Azusa's right hand moved as if she was strumming. Her left hand had grown tired of holding the phone so she put it on speaker, setting it on her desk. At least she had something to listen to while eating.

Moments later, Ui arrived "Oh, is that sis playing?" Azusa nodded in reply "I knew it! I recognize those tiny off notes anywhere! Is she playing with the others?"

"Nah, just her. Ritsu-senpai had to work on something, I think." Ui pulled a seat next to Azusa and listened to Yui playing. The guitarist had gone through the whole song, just before their lunch break was over.

"Nee, Azunyan, how was that?"

"It was okay. You were off tempo at some parts though."

"Cold as always, Azunyan!" Azusa looked up and saw that everybody was scurrying to get to their seats. Ui had stood up now as well.

"I have to get to class now."

"Okay! Bye, Azunyan! I love you!" Yui exclaimed. Azusa turned red in an instant, realizing that she forgot to tell Yui she was on speaker. Classmates from a few seats away could hear the cheesiness on the phone. Ui heard as well, giving a slight chuckle. Azusa stuffed her phone in her bag and hid her face from the others.

"Something wrong, Azunyan?~" Ui teased, trying to copy Yui's voice.

"Shut up!"

* * *

"I'll be collecting your final papers next week, okay? You may be dismissed." Mio's last class had just ended. It was the one with the professor who told her about the foreign exchange program. Before heading out the door, she was stopped then and there.

"Your first professor told me you skipped his class. Is something bothering you?"

"Well, uh..."

"Oh, forgive me if I'm intruding. I was just worried."

"It's okay. I just had a...rough night."

"I take it you told your friends about the program?" Mio was quiet "You know, you could always take them and your family abroad. It could be for a vacation and such. Maybe you and your special someone could get married there too."

Mio suddenly choked on her own saliva, struggling to regain her composure. The mention of commitment was way too sudden "Jumping ahead now, are we?" Mio let out a nervous laugh.

The professor simply smiled "I have to get to my next class and you," she put a hand on Mio's shoulder "have to get your head straight. I'll see you soon."

* * *

"WHO?!"

"Mio's professor. You know, Oribe-san."

"The things this university does to get more recognition and cash!" Ritsu had met up with Sawako to tell her of the news. On one hand, Sawako was proud that she got to be the 'mother' of a worthy candidate for an exchange program but on the other, she felt a little bummed about losing a bassist.

"It's either music gets in the way of Mio's schooling, or schooling get's in the way of music."

"Wait, oh crap." the color on Sawako's face started to drain. The rage had subsided, and now she was quiet.

"What, what?"

"Mugi..."

"What about Mugi? Ugh, did you guys fight again?"

"No, no. What if, what if they put Mugi up for the exchange program too?"

The silence was now mutual. Mugi was just as good as Mio. Actually, a little better. Mugi aced their program in the first semester and was bound to do it again. She's also closely involved with international affairs concerning her school. This part was merely a bonus thanks to the Kotobuki name.

So now, they were looking at the possibility of losing two members.

Ritsu furiously scratched her head, making her headband come off "This is too much!"

"Calm down, Ricchan. We'll get through this. We just need to think, that's all."

"What about Budokan? What about the band?"

Sawako released a heavy sigh. She rubbed her temples, walking past Ritsu "Hold on, where are you going?"

"I'm going to go make some calls to the Budokan gig producers. Also, I might go for a drink later." Sawako raised an eyebrow to Ritsu "You _have_ been a tad too stressed out now, right? Care to join me?"

"Sawa-chan you're frightening me but, I guess I could use a breather for now."

* * *

Mio and Mugi joined Yui in the library. She asked the two to help her out since she had this big paper to work on.

"I hate history!" Yui groaned. Her voice resonated in the library, the librarian shot her a warning glare. Yui covered her mouth and sunk low in her seat.

Mugi came back carrying a stack of books in her arms, careful not to drop them on the table. Yui stared in awe and fright, while Mio found this totally normal.

"Can't I just look up the other information on the internet?"

Mugi raised a finger "You'll be getting more credible and accurate results in books!"

"Mugi's right, Yui. And besides, the computers here" Mio pointed at the line of computers over her shoulder with her thumb "will get you nowhere. Trust me, I know."

Yui pulled out a book that looked a bit more modern compared to the others that were worn out and smelled centuries old. Some books were in English so Mugi helped translate the deep parts to Yui. Mio helped out on a more technical side like how to arrange her thoughts and possibly presenting it to her professor.

They worked for a good whole hour or so, and decided to take a quick break. They were satisfied with finishing one page which probably served as a decent introduction. The time they had now was dedicated to girl talk.

"Nee, Mugi-chan, isn't it you and Sawa-chan's anniversary soon?"

"Oh, right. Wow, Mugi, how does it feel being with the same person after a year?"

Mugi blushed a bit, not expecting to be put in the hot seat "It has been a year now, hasn't it? I'm very thrilled, I can tell you that."

"Isn't it cool? You know, Budokan soon and your first anniversary. Congrats, Mugi-chan!"

Mio's mood slowly shifted when she remembered Budokan. Yui noticed the change on Mio's facial expression and laid a hand on her shoulder.

CHANGE THIS PART. MAKE MIO SAD ABOUT LEAVING AND NOT TELLING.

"Are you okay, Mio-chan?" Mio suddenly felt the pain of leaving the people she loved behind. She remembered her friends and all the memories they made. Mio thought of the distance they'd have if ever she moved away. With Yui's concern, Mio shared what Oribe-san had said about the program.

"Oh, Oribe-san?" Mugi said "She actually suggested the same thing for me too. Well, not really as a student but, more on an organization thing. She said that I'd possibly be going with the foreign exchange program to make our university known and to share our curriculum to the university overseas."

"Eh?! You're leaving us too, Mugi-chan?!"

"Technically, I'll be coming back since I'm merely an endorser if you may say. For Mio, however, it's kind of like a study and stay thing."

Mio sighed "Oribe-san's like, oh hey you can have a good future abroad and maybe even get married there yadda yadda."

"Oh, that reminds me, how did Ritsu take the news?" Mugi asked

"Eh, which part of my statement reminded you of Ritsu...?"

"Come on, Mio-chan, what did Captain say? She must be devastated!" Yui pushed away the books in front of her, resting her head on her hands.

Mio felt a lump in her throat and tried to stay composed. She took a deep breath before speaking "Well, you know Ritsu," she started "she was really sad. I mean, I guess it's kind of expected, right? She never told me but, I think she had a bad dream about me leaving."

Mugi and Yui shared worried looks. Mio was quiet now, and she drifted her eyes to someplace else. Desperate to ease the tension, Yui decided to go back to researching. The other two agreed without another word.

* * *

"Sawa-chan!"

"Shut up! You've been calling for me all night but you don't even say anything once you get my attention!"

"Eh? Oh, right! It's because...uwaaah!" Ritsu burst out crying for what seemed like the millionth time. Sawako had brought Ritsu to a pub most of the university students go to. After their talk, Ritsu did agree to come here with Sawako but still had two more classes to attend. Sawako decided to go ahead, drinking more than Ritsu had. Even with Ritsu's late arrival and lesser quantity of liquor consumed, she still got a little tipsy.

"Mio!"

"Tainaka, people are throwing us weird looks! Ugh, remind me not to get you guys to drink once we're at Budokan."

Ritsu suddenly sprung upwards "Oh! Budokan! The demo CD! We haven't started yet!"

"What?!"

"We haven't even practiced as a band yet. Hehe!"

"I guess I can't blame you. Azusa is still in high school, so we have to wait til tomorrow for her to finally practice with you guys. Right, I forgot to apologize for always stealing Mugi from you guys. I'm at fault too now, eh?"

The bartender came their way, planning to offer them another round but Sawako shooed him away before Ritsu went all berserk asking for more bottles.

"Nee, Sawa-chan," Ritsu said, circling the rim of her glass with her finger "whatcha gonna do with Mugi next month?"

Sawako raised an eyebrow "Ah, so you remember too? Well, I'm not really sure yet. I feel guilty for not having anything planned. But I know what I want, and it's to make our anniversary memorable! Sure, we'll probably have more, but nothing beats the joy of the first."

Some people from behind started applauding Sawako's unconscious exclamation. Others even gave her a standing ovation. From the crowd, you could here people wishing Sawako good luck. It was a bonus that nobody in the crowd threw a homophobic remark.

"It's settled! I'm going to help you nail your anniversary!"

"You sure you're in the right mind to even give suggestions?"

"Oh please, you're asking Akiyama Mio's one true love, sweetheart, buggaboo, honeybunch, flumpykins, if she's in the right mind to give suggestions? You disappoint me!"

"Call me crazy but, whatever, let's do it!"

* * *

The next day, Mio woke up to Ritsu calling her weird pet names. Ritsu was a little hungover, but not as hungover as before. She could remember the pet names she proclaimed to Sawako so she decided to use them to tease Mio.

"For the last time, Ritsu, stop calling me your sugarplum lovepop or something! You know how I feel about pet names!"

"Why, gumdrop? Can't your luv luv show some affection?" Ritsu started to crawl up to Mio who was busy reading a book by their study table. Ritsu turned Mio's seat around, and sat on her lap "I'm not the jealous type, but the attention you're giving to your books is questionable."

"Ritsu..." Mio's face had turned red. The bassist was now trying really hard not to fall under Ritsu's trap. To make things even more challenging, Ritsu threw her arms around Mio "Okay, so maybe you don't like the over-exaggerated pet names, am I correct? What if I used a simple one like..." Ritsu leaned in closer to Mio's ear, and made her voice more feminine than usual "...babe?"

"OKAY, THAT'S EN-"

"Shush, shush! Oh come on, babe, and to think I was going to act more like the guy in this relationship." Ritsu joked.

"Ritsu I still have class at-"

"Shush, again! Something is wrong with your statement."

It didn't take long for Mio to figure out what Ritsu wanted her to do. Mio started to squirm around but Ritsu kept her in place. The frustrations of having a drummer as a girlfriend.

"Well? Would you rather be late or be early and even make someone happy?"

"F-fine!" Mio cleared her throat in defeat. And finally, "I still have class at 9AM...babe."

"HAHA!"

"I DID IT NOW GET OFF!"

* * *

Weird ending? Yeah, lol I had to. I just wanted to see what it would look like if Ritsu used a pet name on Mio. Welppp, fave? Review? Much appreciated!


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